


Dreaming As the Days Go By

by meridian_rose (meridianrose)



Category: Haven (TV)
Genre: M/M, Post-Canon, dreams and visions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2016-12-20
Packaged: 2018-09-10 17:15:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8925595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meridianrose/pseuds/meridian_rose
Summary: Seth dreams of a man he thinks he should remember. It soon becomes clear that these are not normal dreams and that he once knew Duke Crocker very well indeed.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ratpaw](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ratpaw/gifts).



"Wait," Seth said, but Duke kept walking. Seth chased after him, but no matter how fast he ran he couldn't catch up with Duke. The mist swallowed Duke, the long black coat fading into the air as if Duke were a Cheshire Cat.

 _We're all mad here_ , Seth's mind supplied and he gave a hysterical laugh.

When he woke up, his heart was pounding in his chest. Who the hell was Duke?

///

"Wait," Seth said, and Duke paused. He was still wearing the dark coat, his hair slicked back, but his eyes looked less stern this time.

Seth ran damp hands over his own unruly hair. The grass was damp beneath his feet, the misty forest and grey light suggesting dawn or dusk. He wasn't sure where he was, or what he was doing here, or what he wanted to say.

Duke, this was Duke, and somehow it was important that he know that.

"Duke," Seth said and Duke grinned.

Then he walked away again. Seth didn't chase him this time. He just stared into the distance, shivering, because his dream-self hadn't the sense to supply him with a snazzy coat.

When he woke up, he gave a sigh of frustration. Duke Crocker, that was the name, wasn't it? But no amount of Googling or Binging or poking around the forums that Seth frequented came up with anything relevant.

///

"Wait," Seth said. Duke waited. "I know you."

Duke nodded. "You did."

Seth recognised the place now there was less mist, the dreamscape a replica of the field where he'd woken up last week. He couldn't remember why he'd gone there, had written it off as a paranormal experience ( _alien abduction???_ read his notes, and _missing time??_ ) or possibly a dodgy joint, not that he remembered smoking anything recently.

"We were here." Seth pointed to the ground.

Duke nodded again. He reached out, ruffled Seth's hair. "We were. But I sent you away, for your own safety. I had things I had to do."

"What things?"

Duke gave a sad smile. "Sacrifice."

The sun rose, and the dawn's light caught Seth's attention for a second, and when he looked back, Duke was gone.

When he woke, Seth blinked away tears that he couldn’t explain.

///

"Wait," Seth said. "Why do I keep dreaming about you?"

"Maybe you're fond of me," Duke said, and his smile warmed Seth's heart.

Seth gestured to their surroundings. "I was here with you. Then you wanted to go back…back to Haven?"

Duke nodded. "You remember, when you dream."

"Parts of it. Mostly you." Seth folded his arms. "Are you really here? Are you a figment of my imagination? Why doesn't Google know who you are?"

Duke sat down on the grass, cross-legged, at ease. "It's complicated. For a while the town we call Haven didn't exist, cut off from the real world. Some things never happened, officially. Putting things right didn't fix everything." He gave a harsh laugh.

"You're dead," Seth said, uncertain of where the knowledge came from, but recalling the word "sacrifice".

"Yes."

Seth felt the sadness well up inside him. He and Duke had been friends, every new dream making it clearer to him. Seth's memories were messed up, half-remembered stories of a mysterious town haunting him, dreams of Duke stirring up confused images and feelings until he couldn't tell which things were fact and which fiction.

"But don't look so sad," Duke said. "There's hope."

"Hope?"

The sun rose, brighter than before, dazzling Seth.

When he awoke, he sat in the shower and cried for the loss of a man he barely remembered but knew he had cared for.

///

"Wait," Seth said, but Duke wasn't going anywhere. He was sprawled on the grass, a warm smile on his face. His hair was longer, loose about his shoulders, and the black coat had been discarded, leaving him in a red check shirt and deliciously tight black jeans.

Duke patted the ground beside him. Seth walked towards him, his steps unsteady, and sat on the grass. He reached out with a trembling hand, his finger caressing Duke's cheek bone.

Duke didn't vanish at the touch. He felt warm, solid, real.

"You look different," Seth said, "but more like you…"

"The more time we spend together, the stronger our bond," Duke said. "And the stronger I become. I can appear as I want to. Duke Crocker, modern day pirate."

Seth grinned.

"You too. You can change your appearance," Duke said.

Seth imagined himself wearing a soft comfortable sports jersey to keep off the pre-dawn chill. He probably ought to have been more startled when it happened just as he'd thought, but then this was a dream.

"Not just a dream," Duke said, apparently reading his thoughts. "This is a place between the worlds. You can only see me here, because you're willing to accept the possibility within a dream. You can't yet see me in reality. You're not ready."

Seth frowned. "You're a ghost?"

"I'm something. And I've been looking for you. I believe you can help me."

"Help you how?"

Duke put one hand on Seth's knee. "Become corporeal."

"Like, raise you from the dead? Like a zombie?" Seth fought rising panic.

"Not like a zombie. More like a resurrection."

Seth nodded, relieved. "I want to help. We were friends. Are friends? Maybe…" Maybe more, he thought but didn't say. But Duke could read his mind, couldn't he, and Seth blushed when Duke laughed.

"Friends," Duke said, squeezing his knee. "I'll come back tomorrow."

"No, don't go," Seth said, but the sun rose and Duke vanished.

When he awoke, Seth grabbed his laptop and began researching ghosts, resurrections, and recorporealization, the latter of which brought up some interesting but irrelevant information.

///

"Wait," Seth said, but Duke was behind him, dressed like a fantasy version of a pirate, white billowing shirt, knee high black boots, his hair in a ponytail.

"Do you like it?"

Seth shrugged because he did, dear God, he did, but he'd taught himself to be coy when flirting. Not that he was flirting. "I didn't know it was a costume party."

"Show me what you've got, kid," Duke said with a laugh.

Seth imagined himself as a ghostbuster.

"Cute, nice nostalgic reference, but not funny given my current state," Duke said.

"Sorry," Seth mumbled. He imagined an outfit similar to Duke's, more crew than captain, but unmistakably Hollywood pirate.

"Better." Duke put one hand under Seth's chin, tipping his head up to stare into Seth's eyes. "I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"Holding back. I wanted to tell you how I felt, but I didn't because…well, there was Haven to save, and it was dangerous and I didn't know if I'd be coming back." Duke released Seth. "I guess I was right on that front. But also because I didn't know if you felt the same. And because you're so young."

Seth shook his head. "I'm not that young!"

Duke studied him. "And?"

"And I did feel the same way. But I didn't think you did. Because you kept calling me 'kid' and joking around as if it meant nothing."

Duke sighed. "We're a couple of idiots."

"Can't argue there." Seth put one hand on Duke's shoulder. "I miss you. Even when I'm awake now, I miss you so much it hurts."

Duke swallowed. "I never wanted to hurt you."

"I know. Anyway, lovely as this moment is, I know the damn sun is going to come up and take you away any minute," Seth said. "So let's talk. I've done some research but I'm coming up empty on bringing you back to life."

Duke tipped his head. "Seth." He pulled Seth into a hug and Seth melted against him, safe and warm in Duke's arms. Duke pressed a kiss to Seth's hair. "There is a way."

"Tell me."

"We need an artefact, and I know where it is. You get that, bring it to Haven, and then, well, things get complicated but I think we can pull this off."

"Artefact," Seth repeated, praying Duke didn't let him go, wanting this moment to last forever.

"Yeah. I'll show you where," Duke whispered.

The sun rose, and Duke didn't let go.

When he woke up, Seth blinked back tears.

"Hey, kid," Duke said. He was sitting on the edge of the motel bed. Seth reached out but Duke was intangible, a ghost in this world. "Sorry, I'm only corporeal within your dreams right now."

"But you're here," Seth said. "I can see you. You're here. I'm awake and I can see you." He pinched himself hard. Ouch, yes, awake.

"You're ready to," Duke said.

Seth bounced out of bed and began dressing. "Give me five minutes and then we'll be on our way."

Duke lay back on the bed, watching Seth's frantic preparations. "Where are we going?"

"How should I know?" Seth hunted about for his shoes. "The artefact, you said you know where it is."

"I do."

"Well then, let's go. Road trip!"

Duke laughed. "You're taking this better than I'd expected."

"I'm motivated," Seth said, sitting down on top of Duke to tie up his laces. "Sooner you're corporeal, sooner we can touch in real life."

"Don't you like our dreams?" Duke asked.

"They don’t last long enough," Seth said. "I want to hold you, kiss you, and know it's real, know that you won't disappear with the dawn."

Duke made a soft noise. "Used to be my m.o. you know. Love them and leave them before sunrise."

"Not with me you don't," Seth warned. "If I'm in, and I am, then I'm in for the long haul."

Duke smiled. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

**Author's Note:**

> The title, and Seth's "We're all mad here" thought are taken from "Alice in Wonderland"
> 
> Originally written in March 2015 as an Easter gift for rat-paw - before the new Ghostbusters movie was released.
> 
> [Google results for recorporealization](https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=recorporealization&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b&gfe_rd=cr&ei=N5lZWNKnEtDW8gepiqTwCA) :)


End file.
